Bangladesh Braces for Verdict: Former PM Sheikh Hasina on Trial

The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh is set to deliver its verdict on ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and her aides over alleged crimes against humanity during student-led protests. Hasina, tried in absentia, faces potential death penalty. Meanwhile, heightened security measures accompany growing political tensions.

Tension mounts in Bangladesh as the International Crimes Tribunal prepares to announce its verdict on Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister accused of crimes against humanity. Tried in absentia, Hasina faces charges stemming from her alleged role in last year's student-led protests that ousted her government.

Prosecutors have sought the death penalty, claiming Hasina masterminded the violent crackdown known as the July Uprising, which resulted in over 1,400 deaths according to a UN report. Hasina, along with former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, is accused of ordering deadly force against protesters.

Dhaka remains on high alert with police authorized to use lethal force against violent demonstrators. The case underscores political rifts as critics view the charges as politically driven, while Hasina claims the tribunal is biased. The international community awaits the verdict amid tightened security measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)